Life saved from Canadian Death Panel

In a covert operation straight out of a thriller movie scene, 13-month-old BABY JOSPEH HAS BEEN RESCUED FROM A LONDON, ONTARIO HOSPITAL AND TRANSFERRED TO A MISSOURI HOSPITAL where efforts to keep him alive will not be labeled “futile.” Under cover of darkness, Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, arrived in Ontario, Canada Sunday night to rescue Baby Joseph Maraachli from the London Health Sciences Centre, according to Christian Newswire.

Baby Joseph, who is suffering from a terminal illness, was flown along with his father, Moe Maraachli, to SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis, MO using a specially equipped air ambulance which was provided by Michigan-based Kalitta Charters, sponsored and funded by Priests for Life of New York City.

Baby Joseph’s PARENTS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE CANADIAN HOSPITAL TO PERFORM A TRACHEOTOMY so they can bring him home to die, so supporters of the Maraachli family have been helping them find a hospital that will accept him as a transfer and perform the procedure so he can go home. The Canadian hospital wanted to remove his breathing tube without performing the tracheotomy, which would bring about his imminent death in the hospital, but his family wants the boy to be able to die peacefully at home with his family.

“I knew, after this dragged on day after day, that I needed to be here myself to get Baby Joseph to safety,” said Father Pavone. “He needs to be in a hospital that cherishes life over the bottom line. After around-the-clock negotiations, this really became a race against time.” Father Pavone was accompanied by New York-based Priests for Life staff, who were there to assure the transfer proceeded smoothly after TWO WEEKS OF STALLING BY THE CANADIAN HOSPITAL.

“Priests for Life staff toiled through the night for many nights, working in concert with dozens of people to make this possible,” Father Pavone said of the nighttime rescue mission.